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A Healing Circle Ceremony

Everything that happens to you is your teacher…the secret is to learn to sit at the feet of your own life and be taught by it.
– Polly Berends

Through simple occurrences I am given opportunities to learn whatever it is I need to learn in life at that moment. I just need to pay attention. Here is a simple practice, using our personal healing circle, that helps us pay attention to what we need to learn at this moment. (Video on Healing Circle Ceremony.)

Set up your healing circle. You may wish to light a sage, sweetgrass, or cedar smudgestick and wave the smoke over and around yourself and your healing circle. This smudging practice is one used through millennia before ceremonies to protect and cleanse you and the circle.

Bring your awareness to the stone in the east. Focus on the qualities of spring and the eastern direction – childhood years, renewal, awakening, beginnings, yellow light of love, energy, consciousness, the healing breath of life. What meaning does this direction hold for you today?

Now bring your awareness to the stone in the south. Focus on the qualities of summer and the southern direction – dynamic young adult years, transformation, healing power of fire and the sun, strength, purpose, creativity, community, friendship, sensuality, passion. What meaning does this direction hold for you today?

Now bring your awareness to the stone in the west. Focus on the qualities of fall and the western direction – insightful midlife years, the healing power of water, change, reflection, introspection, forgiveness, letting go, surrender, silence, stillness, peace, power, dying, flow. What meaning does this direction hold for you today?

Now bring your awareness to the stone in the north. Focus on the qualities of winter and the northern direction – wise senior years, oneness of us all, rest, restoration, clarity, focus, wisdom, knowledge, healing power of mother earth, spaciousness, compassion, mystery, majesty, magic. What meaning does this direction hold for you today?

Now bring your awareness to the stone in the center. Focus on the qualities of the center and the present – true nature, inner wisdom, uniqueness of being, presence, connection between earth and spirit, protection, health, love. What meaning does this direction hold for you today?

Choose a direction from which you feel you have something specific to learn at this moment. Take some time to contemplate what it is you are needing to learn. Make a simple offering to this direction, honoring what it is helping you learn. You can use any number of things for offerings. I like to use simple things I find, such as a feather, a shell, a special rock, a coin, an acorn, a leaf, an herb sprig. Whatever you feel suits you on this day. Just place the offering in the direction you have chosen as you clarify in your mind what it is you are needing to learn.

You are invited to share your reflections, questions, or thoughts below: